Apparatus for soldering bottoms or tops of tin cans, &amp;c.



Patented Dc. I7, i901.

. E. BESSE 8. L. LUBIIT. APPARATUS FDRSULDERING BOTTUMS 0R TOPS 0F TINCANS, &. c.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

G (Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.) (No Model.)

.o 'a 'umuriwsm "num-01955212@ annu swuou' am Q Patented Dec. I7. [90hE. BESSE L, LUBN. l APPARATUS FR SOLDEBING BTTMS 0R TOPS 0F T|N ,GANS,51,6.l

(Application filed Sept.. 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

' InvenEors mzZe 595@ By v v Attorneys UNrTn STATES nTnN'r Prion.

EMILE BESSE `AND LOUIS LUBIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING BOTTOMS R TOPS OF TIN CANS, do.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,056, dated December17', 1901.

Application iled September 5, 1899. Serial No. 729,551. (No model.)

To @ZZ zuwnt it mag/concern:

Be it known that we, EMILE BESSE and LOUIS LUBIN, mechanical engineers,citizens of the Republic of France, residing at 97 Rue St. Lazare,Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Soldering the Bottoms or Tops of Tin Cans and the Like, ofwhich the following is a specification.

`Our invention relates to an apparatus for automatically soldering tinboxes for preserved food-stuffs and the like.

Our said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is an elevation, Fig. 2 a section on line A B, Fig. 3,and Fig. 3 a plan, respectively, of the apparatus. Fig. at is asectional view of one form of the cansupporting frame andsoldering-iron. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the soldering-iron andthe means for supporting and operating it. Fig. G is a section of asecond form of can-support. Fig. 7 is a section of a third form ofcan-support. Fig. S is a plan View thereof. Fig. 9 is a detail of themutilated gear for driving the can-carrier, and Fig. lO is a sectionalelevation on the line 10 10 of Fig. 2.

The apparatus comprises a standard a, mounted in a base-plateb andfitted with a ring c. On this latter is supported the sleeve CZ of across-shaped frame e, Fig. 3, which is loose on the standard d. Thiscross-frame receives an intermittent rotary motion to the 'extent ofone-third of a revolution through the intervention of a pinion f, keyedto the teeth only over one-third of its circumference (see Fig. l9) andwhich is mounted on a crossshaft h. This wheel g receives its motionthrough the intervention of a worm-wheel 7l and worm j, provided on theshaft 7a, which is rotated by means of .a belt fitted upon thestep-pulley ZZ Z, the whole of this mechanism being supported by abracket m, fixed upon the standard a.

The cross-piece e carries three frames or holders n n n, Fig. 3, ofaluminium, (or other suitable metal which will not take solder,)conforming to the shape of the boxes o to be soldered, which latter restupon a projecting edge p, Fig. A, or upon a thin aluminium plate p, Fig.6, or upon a thicker plate p2,

Fig. 7, which is connected to the frame or holder 'n by three or fournarrow radial strips in such a manner as to leave annular aperturesbetween such plate and the interiorof the holder (see Fig. 8) for thepassage of the sectional rim of the soldering-iron. Above each of theframes n there is arranged a plate q, Fig. 2, pressed downwardly by aspring fr and suspended from a rod s, which itself is pressed upwardlyby a spring t and which carries a roller u, running upon a cylindricalcam fr. Each rod s is mounted in a bracket w, Figs. 1 and 2, integralwith a sleeve y, sliding on and revolving with the sleeve cl. Thus theplates q remain, always in axial alinelnent with their respectiveholders. The cam o cannot turn on the standard a, but is adapted to beraised or lowered thereon, (so as to suit the various heights of boxesto be soldered,) together with the brackets w, rods s, and the plates q.A The whole of this mechanism is adjusted by means of the screwx, Fig.2, mounted upon one of the arms of the cross-piece e and screwing into ascrew-nut provided on the socket y, carrying the brackets w. The sockety turns freely upon the lower collar of the sleeve Z, carrying the camo, and is secured thereto by a ring The bracket m is fitted with twoguide boxes 2 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, in which rods or pins 3 3 slide.These rods or pins are forced downwardly by springs et 4E and are unitedtogether by a bridge piece or flange 5, which carries a tooth 6, adaptedto engage in one 0r other of three sockets '7, Figs. 2 and 3, integralwith the sleeve d. The bridge-piece 5 also carries a roller 8, runningon a cam 9, (see Fig. 10,) keyed to the shafts h. Upon the rods 3,supported by a spring 10, is a head ll, carrying the soldering-iron l2,which is heated by a circular gas-jet pipe 13. The soldering-iron isadaptedto enter the frame or holder n, in which it can adjust itself andcome into contact with the edges of the box o to be soldered. Where thearrangement shown in Fig. 7 is employed, the solderingiron 12 is cut tosuit the center plate p2 and passes through the annular apertures formedby the said plate and the holder n, so as to come into contact with thebox. In the latter case it is advantageous for preventing the plate p2to absorb by conductibility a certain quantity of heat, whereby the timenecessary for melting the solder would be objectionably increased, tosomewhat lengthen (by suitably calculating for this purpose the outlineof the lifting-cam 9) the upward stroke of the soldering-iron l2, sothat the latter'while pressing by its sect-ional rim against theperiphery of the end plate of the box to be soldered lifts the sameslightly above the plate p2, which is thus quite insulated from theheated parts by an air-layer of a sufficient thickness for preventing itto be perceptibly heated.

The working of this improved soldering apparatus is as follows In eachof the holders n in succession are placed the end plate and the body ofa box o, the edge of which may have been prepared to receive the endplate and which is provided with a layer, or, better, a ring of solder.The boxes are brought into position one after the other by the action ofthe cross e above the soldering-iron 12. As the boxes are brought aroundthe roller u of the rod s running against the inclined portion of thecam o causes the plate q to descend so as to exercise an elasticpressure upon the box owing to its spring r. At the same time the rods 3move upward through the intervention of the cam 9, while simultaneouslytherewith the cross-piece e remains stationary, owing to theinterruption in the teeth of the wheel g. The tooth 6 now engages in thesocket 7 and locks the cross e in position, whereupon the soldering-ironis brought with its annular edge into contact with the box and melts thesolder by direct contact or through the thickness of plate p, Fig. 6.The cam 9 continues rotating. The spring 4t causes the solderingiron 12to return and at the same time disengages the tooth 6, and thus unlocksthe cross-piece e. Thereupon the wheel reengages with the pinion f andcauses the crosspiece e to rotate a third of a revolution. During thisperiod of rotation the roller u runs upon a horizontal portion of thecam c for a sufficiently long time to permit the solder t0 solidify,afterward running again upon an incline. The plate q is then raised andallows the soldered box to be removed and replaced by another box.During this time the next box is treated in the same manner, and thiscontinues. With the arrangement in Fig. 7, where the box is supportedupon an aluminium plate p2, attached by a narrow piece to the holder n,it is advantageous to slightly increase the stroke of the solderingironl2 by suitably shaping the cam 9, so as to cause the iron while beingapplied to the bottom of the box to lift the latter a little off theplate p2. In this manner the said plate cannot absorb any of the heatthrough contact with the box required for the fusion of the solder, andthus the working speed is augmented.

The improved apparatus may also serve in soldering the tops or lids onplain boxes, (which it would be impossible to turn upside down withoutdisturbing their contents.) It

suffices in this case to reverse the apparatus, as indicated bydot-and-dash lines-z'. e., with the foot-plate b turned upward, as shownin Fig. l. The apparatus may be provided with a number of lower or upperholders for boxes and the form or shape of such holders may be varied tosuit the form of boxes for soldering.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature ofour saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is-V l. The combination with a standard, of a sleevemounted to turn thereon, a cam mounted on the standard and incapable ofturning thereon, plungers carried by the sleeve and engaging the cam,holders also carried by the sleeve and turning therewith, asoldering-iron mounted beneath the holders and movable toward and fromthe same, and means for driving the soldering-iron in unison with theholders.

2. The combination with a standard, of a sleeve mounted to turn thereon,a circular cam mounted on the standard above the sleeve and incapable ofturning, means carried by the sleeve and actuated by the cam to hold thecans in place, a holder carried by the sleeve on which holder the cansare placed, a soldering-iron adapted to move toward and from the holder,and gearing for turning the sleeve and driving the soldering-iron.

3. A can-soldering machine, having a canholder comprising an annularmain portion and a relatively thin plate or web extending throughout thearea thereof and formed with openings therein adjacent to the edge ofthe plate, and a soldering-iron formed with upwardly-projected portionsadapted to extend through the openings in the said plate to contact withthe can.

4. The combination of a standard, a sleeve mounted loosely thereon, acan-carrier fastened on the sleeve, a transverse drive-shaft sustainedon the standard below the sleeve, gearing for intermittently driving thesleeve from the drive-shaft,- a cam fastened on the drive-shaft to turntherewith, and a soldering device arranged under the can-carrier andmovable by the action of the cam toward and from the can-holder.

5. The combination of a standard, a sleeve arranged to turnthereon, acan-holder held by the sleeve, a drive-shaft, gearing for intermittentlydriving the sleeve from the driveshaft, a cam driven from thedrive-shaft, a soldering device having a projected part and moved towardand from the can-holder by the action of the cam, and a socket havingconnection with the sleeve and arranged to receive said projected partof the soldering device when the soldering device is moved to activeposition, whereby to stop the movement of the sleeve.

6. A soldering-machine having a standard, a can-holder arranged to turnaround the same, mechanism for intermittently driving the can-holder, astationary cam arranged above the can-holder, a plunger mounted to turnwith the can-holder and actuated by the cam, for the purpose specified,and a connection between the can-holder and the cam by the cam of thesecond-named sleeve, said 15 plunger Working with the can-holder, meansfor intermittently driving the first-named sleeve, and a drivensoldering device movable toward and from the can-holder in time with theintermittent movement of the said zo first-named sleeve.

In witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of twoWitnesses.

EMILE BESSE. LOUIS LUBIN. Witnesses:

GEORGES DELOM, EDWARD P. MACLEAN,

